This invention relates to information, transactional and other like system and service applications and, in particular, to system and service applications in which bar codes are used.
There are a variety of systems in use today in which bar codes serve as a way of inputting identification information to the system. Thus, for example, in store checkout systems, bar codes placed on the products being sold are scanned to identify the products. This identification information is then passed to a host processor which determines the prices of the scanned products and reports them to an electronic cash register at the store check out.
Another type of system in which bar codes are used for identification purposes is the lottery communication system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,853. In the system of this patent, bar codes are used to identify lottery ticket numbers, invoices numbers, telephone numbers and the like in connection with services provided to a lottery agent. The identified numbers developed by the agent scanning the bar codes are communicated over an interactive telephone network which connects the agent to a host processor. The host processor provides services such as ticket validation, ordering of materials and invoice confirmation.
In the '853 system, voice prompts are provided over a telephone to the lottery agent who can respond by scanning the bar code of any needed numbers. The electrical signals which result from scanning the bar code are then converted into dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals and/or dial pulse signals by execution of an application program which is accessed by a processor at the bar code reader. These signals are then transmitted over the telephone system to the host processor. When a bar code used to identify a telephone number is scanned, the telephone number is retrieved and supplied to an auto dialer which dials the number in DTMF tones or dial pulses.
The '853 patent further mentions that by accessing keys on a bar code interface, data such as a stored telephone number can be retrieved. The retrieved data can then converted to DTMF tones or dial pulses for transmission over the telephone network.
Another system which uses bar codes for identification purposes and for function command purposes is the home ordering system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,482. In this system, orders can be placed from the home over the direct dial telephone network. The orders are placed from printed materials such as catalogues, newspaper inserts or the like advertising materials which carry an item identification bar code adjacent the description of each item. This bar code when scanned is fed to a processing device at the user's location. The user's processing device stores the identification data contained in the scanned bar code along with transactional information of the corresponding merchant.
The user's processing device in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,482 system is operated by the user depressing switches to invoke desired actions (e.g., send, select) or to provide desired responses (e.g., yes, no, etc.) in response to prompts on a display. These prompts are generated at the user's processing device based on signals developed locally at the device or based on signals developed at a merchant's host processor. The latter processor communicates with the user's processing device over the direct dial telephone network via a modem. The user's processing device responds to the button actuation by performing certain activities associated therewith. The U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,482 also states that the switches of the user's processing device may be replaced by a plurality of bar code indicia such that each set or group of such indicia corresponds to a function to be enabled by the replaced switch.
In order to make purchases from different merchants using the U.S. Pat. No. 4,654,482 system, cartridges storing transactional information of the different merchants are provided. As an alternative to using different storage cartridges, the patent states that a fixed memory containing all the data for the different merchants can be used. In this case, one or more bar codes can serve to identify the different merchants and, if desired, to provide data associated with the merchants.
A further system which utilizes bar codes for identifying and extracting data is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,475. In the system of this patent, information associated with a food order is stored based upon an order identification number. The latter number is then placed on an order label via encoding the number on a bar code. By then scanning the bar code, the order number is retrieved and the stored information associated with the order number can then be read out. The patent teaches that this information can be read out verbally or electronically into a hand held data unit.
Bar codes are also used in the synthesized voice generating system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,167. In this system, a bar code carries phonetic information, rhythm information and particular processing information associated with a word which is to be verbally reproduced. By scanning the bar code, this information can be retrieved and used to reproduce the word. The patent teaches developing learning devices in the form of books in which bar codes are placed adjacent words whose pronunciation is to be learned.
While all of the above systems teach the use of bar codes in informational and transactional types of service applications and systems, individual bar codes have been used in these systems for either article identification purposes or function identification purposes. This limited use of the bar codes has limited the versatility of the systems.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide bar codes and an associated system in which a bar code can serve more than a single purpose.